How it happened
by meals
Summary: This is my version of James and Lily's seventh year. Un original, I know but... see how you like it. T to be safe. BTW Everything is JKR s
1. Sixth year

**Sixth Year**

I watched the boy leave with a confused expresion on my face.

_I didn't understand him!_

_HOW WAS THAT POSSIBLE?!_

I'd know James Potter for six years now. And I couldn't understand him.

I'll give you and overview.

First and Second year - I dont think he knows my name.

Third year - Calls me names, trips me up, is generally horrid to me.

Fourth to half way through Sixth year - Insufferable twat who proffeses him undying love for me in a JOKING WAY!! As well as bullying everyone he comes across.

But then, for the last half a year he'd been generally nice.

To everyone!!

Im going to put that down to his parents dying.

There wasnt much publicity to that, it was all abit hushed up. _Wonder why?_

And now, as I watch him jump agiley off the Hogwarts Express I find myself confused.

I wonder where he's going to live now.

I wonder if he'll be like this next year.

"LILY!?!?" A voice breaks through my wondering.

"Are you there?!?!" It demands.

Its Meggie. My best friend. Kindof. Along with Marie and Jess.

"Me and Marie are going now."She speaks to me slowly, like you speak to a toddler.

I hug them both, and after about 5 minutes of hugging, letter writing promises and more hugging they're gone.

Jess and me walk to our parents slowly, arm in arm.

"Bye Lils." Jess whispered in my ear as she hugs me.

And then she's gone too.

Disappearing into the steam coming out of the train.

And I'm alone with my family again. My adoring family.

Another five minutes of hugging and we step through the barrier to the muggle world. The world I'm going to live in for the next 2 months.

And there's Petunia. Standing kissing the walrus man - also known as Vernon Dursley - the man she will be marrying in a months time.

Jealousy sparks through me. Im jealous of Vernon. Because my sister loves him. And she doesn't love me.

Sometimes, when I'm in bed I wonder what went wrong.

It couldn't be that I went to Hogwarts and she didnt.

_Could it?_

Emotion blinds me, or maybe it's tears and I find myself making excuses to my parents and dashing through the barrier quickly.

On the other side I lean against a pole and breathe deaply. I'll be Ok. I always am.

Steadied, I shrug off the pole and prepare to face her again.

But I feel something restraining me and turn to find James Potter with his hand on my arm, watching me in - what is that emotion. Not pity, not anxiosnous. Something in between. It was the look that my dad gave my mum when her mum was crying and he didnt know what to do.

Then he blinks, and it's gone and he gives me a short smile.

His hand rises to my face and wipes a tear from my eye.

It must be my imagination that it stays there a second too long.

"Have a good summer." He says quietly and he's gone, walking away.

"Prongs" I can hear Sirius calling - what was with that nickname?!? - "You coming. It's the least you can do you know. Seeing as your staying all by yourself in that big house this summer. With the house elfs."

_So that was where he was going to live! Alone?!_

"You know that you lot are basically going to be spending all your time there anyway."

He laughs and my stomach gives a little flip. I've never noticed how nice his laugh was. Probably cause I'm normally angry with him.

Feeling stronger, I turn and face the wall again.

Marching through I smile.

_Who knows why? Because I'm wierd, I think to myself._


	2. Up to September 1st

**(AN: Last chapter was in Lily's point of view (you should probably have guessed that) but this one's from any ones.)**

_**One week before school started**_

"You're mad." The words cut the silence like a knife slicing butter.

The man opposite laughed, "I've been watching you and I think it'll work. I've got to run now though. I'll see you September First after the feast. But a bit of advice.

-_Letting her go completely would be stupid._

_But allowing her to go would be very clever indeed."_

And with that he left. Sweeping out of the room and apparating, leaving the confused teenager behind him.

**Sept. 1st**

"MEGGIE!!!" The scream left Lily's lips but was sucked into the general bustle of the platform.

Pushing her way through the crowd Lily fell onto her friend with a squeal of joy and a hug.

"Lily!!" Followed by the traditional response of the two - "You've messed up my hair." They laughed and hopped onto the train. Walking up to compartment 144 - which they had traveled to school in for the past 4 years.

"Marie? Jess?" Meggie called down the train.

Typical her. Meggie was the loudest, flirtiest, most outgoing of the group. She had black curls that hung to her skinny waist, big brown eyes that always wore mascara and eye liner and a volptuous figure.

Jess was quiet, bookish. She had short, straight blonde hair and blue eyes. She never wore makeup and her voice was as quiet as a mouse.

Marie was in between the two - not as loud as Meggie but not as quiet as Jess. Even her looks were in between the two. Brown wavey hair, green eyes. Mascara only. Marie was the skinniest person in the world. Or so the group thought. But it was a healthy skinny. She wasn't pale and she was lively.

Lily was a red head. Her hair softly curled and waved down to her waist, if she let it loose, but she often pulled it up into a pony tail. She had green eyes and long legs. She was also skinny, but not too skinny.

In the cabin we laughed our way through the first ten minutes. At which point Lily excused herself to go to the first compartment to which she needed to go because - she told the others with a grin - she had been made head girl.

This anouncement caused her to be delayed 5 minutes under various hugs and proclamations that they knew it was going to happen.

Lily walked down the corridor as the train pulled out and started chugging away.

She was the first there.

***

James was lying on his side in the marauders compartment with Sirius sitting on top of him singing.

At this point Remus walked in and saw them.

He grinned and levataded his trunk up onto the racks before jumping ontop of James aswell followed by Peter who, after one attempt to levatate his trunk up left it lying on the floor and jumped up too.

James groaned. Then rolled off the chairs completely, sending the lot of them to the floor.

The thing about the marauders was that they couldn't be in each others company without laughing. They brought out the funninnes in each other. Even Peter, who was a little dim witted, did his part.

After picking themselves off the floor and spending a few minutes laughing Sirius adressed a new topic.

"So, I guess Prongs told you two? His big, surprising news?"

The others looked blank and James told Sirius he had infact wanted to see their faces when they found out.

Sirius grinned, "PRONGS IS HEAD BOY!!" He burst out.

Both boys mouths dropped. Peter pretended to faint.

"Head boy?" Remus asked weakly. He had been wondering who it was.

"Yeah, I thought they'd sent the letter to the wrong person so I contacted Dumbledore and he came and told me. Wierd huh?" James said. "And that reminds me, we have to go Remus. Meeting in the first compartment."

Then he dragged the smaller marauder out of the compartment and down the corridor.

They paused outside the prefects compartment and knocked before opening it.

Lily's head turned slightly without breaking her conversation with another prefect to take in the newcomers. Then her conversation faltered.

"Potter?" She asked, he would be in trouble already.

Then she noticed that Remus didn't have the head boys badge.

"Awww. Daymn. I was hoping you'd be head boy Remus." She complained.

"Nope." He popped the p. "That title goes to my friend here." He indicated to James.

All conversation stopped.

***

"Hello you two." Dumbledores eyes twinkled at them.

"Professor." James nodded to him.

Lily just smiled.

_After the announcement on the train Lily had stared at them openmouthed for about five minutes along with everyone else when James broke the silence with, I know, I told Dumbledore it was a mad idea._

_This caused laughter and in general the prefects looked happy they had a laid back head boy._

_The meeting had passed without much hassle._

_Lily talking mostly, James listening and wincing at the information that they all had to patrol twice a week. The older people would have to stay back longer._

_Lily hadn't spoken to him at all._

"You should have received instructions with your letters. Feel free to contact me about anything. My password will be on your noticeboard. Your password is Quidditch. That's all. Mr. Potter can you stay back."

Lily left.

"How are you doing Mr. Potter?" Asked Dumbledore kindly.

James swollowed , "Better. I think you've saved me. I would have gone mad being with Sirius for much longer." He smiled at Dumbledore, but his eyes were sad and world aware beyond his years. You couldn't expect less after what he'd been through.

Dumbledore nodded, "Off you go. Remember..."

***

"Lily! Wait up!" James ran down the corridor to catch up with Lily's retreating back.

They walked in silence.

Lily paused suddenly, "OMG! I don't know where the heads dorms are! I forgot to ask!!" She made to turn around.

James caught her arm, "I know." He said, "Do you want to go to the Gryffindor common room first or after, or not atall?"

Lily paused, _was James giving her a choice?!?!_, "First." She said quietly.

James smiled and resumed walking, "Tell me when you want to leave." He said.

"How do you know?" Lily asked. "Did Dumbledore tell you just now?"

"Nah," He laughed, "I've known for years."

***

Lily paused behind Remus' laughing head.

James caught on, "Right," He yawned, "I'm off. Night you lot." And he stood hitting Sirius on the head lightly.

In silence James led her down the halls to a large picture of the founders on the fourth floor.

"Quidditch." He said.

The door swung open and the two clambered inside.

The room was large with two sofas and two chairs, a view of the lake, a roaring fire and several pictures lining the walls. The whole room was decorated in various reds and golds but there was also every other colour there.

There was a circular table in one corner and a notice board next to the door. It was two things - stunning in it's finery and beauty; and homely looking - above all.

"Wow." Said Lily, turning to James as if for confirmation and to her surprise saw tears in his eyes.

"Yeah," he said thickly, blinking them away. "Night Lily." And he walked quickly into his room.

_Well that was wierd._ Thought Lily. But she followed his example and entered her room.

It was a soft blue in colour, with white curtains lined in gold fabric hiding the french doors leading out onto her balcony. Her four-poster bed had the soft blue coverings with gold trimmings and there was a mahogany desk in the corner with a lamp on it.

She had a walk in wardrobe and an on suite bathroom.

She got into the shower and after a quick one changed into her pj's and fell asleep.

***

James sat with his back to the door and cryed silently.

He now understood where his parents got there sense of decorating from. His living room at home was just like his house. Like his parents house.

_Snap out of it James! _He told himself firmly.

He forced himself to look up and saw immediately the sign that hogwarts cared about him.

Above his four-poster bed there was a saying in Ancient Runes - _those who you love never truly leave you, but you can leave them by forgetting_.

Smiling, James changed into his pajamas and, with a quick look around (walk in cupboard, on suite, balcony) he rolled into his bed and took off his glasses.

_Love you mum. Love you dad. Sophie too._

_Can you see me?? I miss you. I'm going to make you proud._

And he fell asleep with dreams where he sat laughing with his family, or played 2 a side quidditch with them.


	3. Schedules and Stories

**Schedules**

Lily felt herself softly being shaken. Her eyes opened and fixed on the deep hazel eyes of James Potter.

"There's 10 minutes 'til breakfast."

The eyes left and Lily felt shocked into life.

"Fuck!" She swore and rolled out of bed.

***

Sirius burst into laughter, spraying Remus with pumpkin juice, "This is going to be such a good year!"

"Yeah," Peter started, "We'll never get in - "

"Potter!" A voice broke up their conversation, "Where's Lilly?"

James turned to face Meggie, "Last I saw her she was swearing and getting out of bed 10 minutes ago." He informed her and turned back to Peter.

"We'll never get in trouble! Not with you and Remus being on the Prefect department!" Peter finished.

James, Sirius and Remus exchanged glances.

"Um, Wormtail?" Remus ventured, "Can't you feel the change in the air? Time for pranks and detentions are over."

Sirius and James nodded softly in agreement and Peter looked slowly at them all.

"Are we continuing from last year then?" He asked softly. More nods.

***

Lily dropped into the empty seat and grinned at Jess.

"Morning." Greeted Marie.

"Aren't you up a little late?" Said Jess, laughing.

"More importantly... how are the heads dorms?" Meggie asked licking away the foam from her hot chocolate.

"Absolutely amazing!" Lily began, and launched into a detailed description of the common room and her bed room, leaving the others 'ooo'ing and 'aaa'ing.

"But the funny thing is," she finished, "Potter started crying when he saw them."

They exchanged looks.

"Here are your timetables." Professor McGonagall said, jerking the four out of their own little world.

"Thanks Professor." Said Jess, eager to get on Mcgonagall's good side, taking hers.

"I added your extra lesson," McGonagall informed Lily, and she bustled off down the table.

"I still can't believe your taking 6 NEWTs," Meggie said, "There won't be enough time as it is!"

***

"For this year we're going to have to work hard," finished McGonagall and started on their new work - turning an animal into another animal non verbally.

In partners they attempted to turn their pets into a dog.

On Lily's third turn McGonagall rang out, "STOP!" Lily lowered her wand and turned to see McGonagall with her hand on a beautiful golden Labrador.

"Whose is this?" Asked McGonagall.

"Mine." It was James Potter's.

"Very good, Mr Potter. 20 points to Gryffindor." A bell rang.

McGonagall looked at her desk, where an object like an alarm clock was ringing, "You may go." She added.

James stood up, vanished his bag and started walking towards the door.

"10 inch essay on the spell." McGonagall informed him.

"Do you want him to die?" Sirius put in.

When McGonagall looked at him sternly he added, "Prongs, you're dead." A few people laughed.

"Why's he dead?" Asked Meggie, even inquisitive.

"Cause the retarder's taking 10 Newt's!" Sirius exploded.

Silence.

"And that's why I'm off now." James added, reaching the door. "I've got half lessons to fit it all in."

"What are you taking?" Jess asked.

"Mmmmmm. Auror studies, CO-MC, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Flying." And he swung the door shut behind him.

"You can take flying for a NEWT?!" Asked Marie, who was a chaser.

"You have to be offered it." Sirius said.

***

Lily collapsed into the chair closest to the fire in the 7th year common room. It had been a long day.

Marie and Jess walked over, strange looks on their faces.

"The weirdest thing just happened," Marie started, dropping onto the sofa opposite Lily.

"We went to ask James why he was taking 10 Newts and he said his mum wanted him to. So we started teasing him about being mummy's little boy.

And he just looked away and whispered 'not anymore' and walked off.

Sirius materialised above Jess' head, "Do me a favour and don't mention James' family to him, OK?" And he walked off.

"What?" Jess asked Remus, who was looking apologetic.

"All James family were killed last year by Voldemort." Marie flinched at the sound of his name.

"What happened?" Jess had to ask.

Remus dropped onto the sofa next to Marie, causing her to blush, "No one knows." He said.

"James found them, with Sirius and me. We'd been clubbing and we returned home in the early hours off the morning and all his family, every single Potter, blood or marriage, old or young, were lined up dead in front of us."

Remus looked sick.

"James' sister is missing, believed dead." He finished, deliberately leaving out the bit about James' one-year-old niece being strung from a chandelier.

Lily remembered something suddenly and jerked away from the soft red back of the armchair, "Is that the house he's staying in?!"

Remus' stormy grey eyes were glinting in the firelight, "Voldemort told him - or rather left a note for him - that if he moved away his sister would be killed." Lily, who had never seen Remus so emotional was struck dumb and sank back into the chair.

"Poor James." Whispered Marie - whose father had been killed by Voldemort for marrying a muggle.

Remus nodded, his adams-apple bobbing maddly, "Um, I'm gonna go." He choked out.

None of the girls said anything but all three of them had a dumbstruck look on their faces that was tinged with a sickened look, and when the firelight danced on their faces they looked like Dumbledore's gargoyles, as Meggie pointed out when she dropped to the floor at Lily's feet.

"Im going to bed." Lily excused herself - unable to handle Meggie's bouncy behaviour - and jumped to her feet ignoring the look of hurt on Meggie's face.

She ran to the Head's Dorm's, her feet pounding on the floor, and was violently sick in the bathrooms.

Strangely, as she was being sick there was the distinct feeling of someone with her but she didn't recognise it.

In fact, it wasn't until later that she noticed that she didn't have sick in her hair.

***

That night Lily fell asleep with her mind fitting pieces of James Potter together and unsurprisingly woke in the middle of it to a nightmare of a baby hanging from a chandelier.

But she didn't stay awake for long because her fear suddenly ebbed and a happy dreamy state floated over her - like she'd been hit with a very nice spell.

From then her dreams were pleasant.


	4. Talking

**Arrrgggg. Really sorry guys i downloaded the other before this one :S**

* * *

"Come _on!" _James said laughingly as he pulled Lily out of the common room away from her friends and down a corridor. It was their first patrol together and, though he was trying to train them not to, his heart was beating faster and his brain was both praying it would go alright and planning ways to impress her.

In the past two weeks they had grown closer then James had ever hoped they would grow - well, actually he'd _hoped_they would grow even closer, but it was as close as he'd ever thought they'd grow.

They spoke and laughed like friends now - after some certain silent compromises had been made.

On James' part he wouldn't : ask her out; ruffle his hair up like she hated it; pull pranks; bully snape, etc. but he had worked those out on his own, if she was being honest.

Lily would : refrain from hexing him; making cutting remarks about him inside his hearing (and hopefully outside aswell) and didn't walk out of a room when he walked in.

Just one corridor along James pulled a quill, inkpot and parchment out of his bag that he had made appear and charmed them to fly infront of him, the quill scribbling maddly, as they walked, before vanishing his bag again.

Lily was impressed, though she tried to deny it, with the fact that he did everything non-verbally now.

_Requires strength of mind._ That was what their last defence against the dark arts teacher had said, when she'd taught them it.

_And he's got other _strengths _too._ Said a flirty voice in her ear, causing her to shake her head and look around for the culprit, but there wasn't one.

"Are you ok??" James asked.

"Sorry." She apologized automatically. "I thought I heard something. What does that do?" She asked, pointing at the quill and parchment to cover her lapse.

"The quill takes information out of my head and puts it down on the parchment." James explained, "This way I can patrol and do my homework at the same time."

Lily was impressed, _again. _

_'Why did he have to be so clever?' _She asked herself, then refrained from asking him the spell.

James looked tired. No wonder, _10 NEWTS!_

But, despite his tiredness, he had done 5 quidditch practices this week, was training a younger team for the future years, was beating everyone in 7th year in his classes (apart from Potions where Snape and Lily ruled).

"So-" She started in a lively tone of voice. "Where do we go first?"

* * *

Lily laughed, her voice mixing with his to form a melody that you didnt often hear off the Radio.

"Stop it!" James pouted jokingly and crossed his arms. "Explain it to me!"

Lily took a deep, calming breath and, keeping her eyes of James, began to speak.

"First off, a TV does not, as you just said, have real people under the imperious curse trapped inside it by evil muggles - "She burst out laughing again.

"Please tell me you werent really going to put that in your muggle studies homework?!"

James hardly heard the question, he was too absorbed with her smile and her laugh, but he knew what do now.

He laughed and shrugged, "So what does a television do then?"

* * *

They were barely out of the corridor when James started laughing so hard that Lily's mouth curled up into a smile just at the sight of him.

"It wasnt _that_ funny. _Honestly_." Lily sighed, exasperated.

"But his _face_!" James howled with laughter.

They had just found Sirius making out with Juliana Crainsbury in the second floor broomcupboard.

Not only that but Sirius had thought it was Juliana's older sister he'd been kissing, as Juliana was in 3rd year.

He had, quite literarily, jumped a foot in the air, barely heard Lily's admonishments, ignored his best friend shaking with laughter and pelted away, before getting stuck in the disappearing step of the nearest staircase and being caught by his 3rd year fan.

The memory of it made James reel out in hysterics until they reached the heads dorms, effectively finishing their patrol.

Getting himself undercontrol James gave the password, wishing the castle had an extra floor or two so that they could patrol for just a little longer.

He didn't know that just 2 feet away Lily was stopping herself from wishing the same thing.

* * *

_I dont understand him!_

_He's not annoying anymore._

_And he is actually quite good looking._

_And clever._

_And funny._

_And sporty._

_But it's __him!_

_So why do I want to see him more often?_

_Why can't I keep my eyes off him?_

_Why do I crave his voice, his eyes, his laugh?_

_I can't __like__ him. Can I?_

_Really, is it him I dont understand..._

_...or myself?_


	5. Christmas

_Sorry guys, no excuse, just couldnt be bothered to write and school and all that :)_

_**Christmas**_

_Bloody Hell!_

_What's wrong with me?!_

_It's just - well - I've never felt like this before._

_I think I finally understand Clarrisse and Jenny - who flirt with everyone. It's not that they are stupid bimbos it's that they fall easily._

_And when you fall you flirt._

_You can't escape them, they suck you in!_

_So I understand, but -_

_What's wrong with me?!_

_***_

It was a few seconds before Lily realized what she was seeing through the tears stinging her brilliant crystal clear green eyes.

Her thoughts were rapidly hurried along by Remus calling out to her from his position on the floor half way along the deserted charms corridor.

"Lily! Are you ok? Youve been standing there for 5 minutes." His deep rough voice shook her out of her stupor, but somehow it only added to her misery.

She stumbled over to him and sank to the hard wooden floor next to him, under the picture of Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw laughing next to the lake, "Oh, hey."

Remus' prematurely lined face studied her intently, the grey stormy eyes that were so alert that they didnt fit in with the rest of him - his slightly slumped shoulders, the grey streaks in his hair, his voice that was always rough, him in general gave out a tired air.

Sighing he vanished his Potions book and parchment and quill set, before tucking his Willow wood wand into his belt and slinging his stringily musceled arm around her fragile looking shoulders, "Are you going to tell me what's wrong." When he got no answer he sighed again, looking away.

But, as it turned out, she did tell him, for at that moment she realized why she felt sad when she heard his voice and the pain of it pushed her over the edge. She broke into tears, allowing them to coarse down her face, taking her mascara with them.

"Let it out Lily," Remus whispered and his kindness ripped her apart, letting her pour her soul into him.

Half an hour later she was cried out. Remus sat in shock, thinking over what she had told him.

She liked James. _Lily Liked James! LILY!!_

A splutter of laughter burst from his lips and he hurredly formed it into a cough under the glare from Lily's eyes.

"So? - " Lily whispered finally, much to the relief of Rowena, who loved gossip and rarely found one as interesting as this - for everyone knew Lily hated James.

"Lily," Remus paused, wondering briefly if James would thank him for this, "He doesnt talk to me about it. But he doesnt need to." His eyes probed her intensely, searching for a reaction and finding non behind her stone hard mask.

"He's in love with you Lily, I wont say he always has been because it hasnt, but he has been for 2 years. Proper love as well. He cant live without you, but he is trying to. Because he's given up, you're not too late, but if you dont act you will be." Remus finished and at the same time Lily's mask was replaced with bright eyes and a thoughful expression. Rowena let out a sob.

Laughing and glancing at all the pictures - most of which were smiling - Remus jumped to his feet with the life that was in his eyes and pulled Lily to her feet, "Let's go make his day."

***

Anxiously Remus pushed open the door, worrying about the unusual quiet for the last day of the term.

They were greeted by a shocked crowd of 7th years and Dumbledore, all of them looking at him.

Someone choked off a scream and a group of Ravenclaw's backed away.

Lily and Remus entered hurredly and shut the door.

"Im telling you now Dumbledore, if you expell Moony I'll leave." James walked surely across to Remus and crossed his arms.

"What the ?! -" Lily began, but was cut off by both Sirius and Dumbledore.

"Yeah!" Sirius.

"It's not my choice, it's those who know." Dumbledore.

James turned to face the crowd, "You all know Remus, I cant say you all like his (glance to the Slytherins) but you all know him and he wouldnt hurt anyone. He's the same person he always has been, he's dangerous for one night a month and he has such good protection that night that it's not a problem. Come on, seriously, what kind of retard would you be if you could chuck him out for this?"

Silence followed him, mostly shock, because he had spoked with such conviction that people wanted to believe him.

"Well Im with you!" James' quidditch beaters - Tim and Rayne - said at the same time, and were joined by the rest of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and even most the Slytherins until only Snape was left.

"Took it's time coming out." Snape sniffed disdainfully, turning his nose up.

"You knew?!" Bellatrix.

"Since 4th year." Huffing Bella turned her back.

"Anyway... not in a million years is he staying here now." Snape's lip curled up as he smiled smugly, casting a glance full of hatred towards James who was really wishing he hadn't been so horrible to him.

Several minutes later the future was looking rather bleak to Remus, who was slumped sidways on the wall staring miserably at the floor and who had only recently stopped trying to pull away from Sirius grasp.

Lily knew what to do, she had since it was only Snape left but she couldnt do it. Not Snape. But she had no choice, otherwise she would lose James.

"Sev? Please?" She whispered, but the room chose that moment to fall silent and what only Snape was meant to hear everyone heard. And so they all saw the resolve in Snape's black eyes shatter as he looked at the beautiful red head.

He barely consented with his head and the room burst into applause, Sirius even letting go of Remus to make mini-fireworks with his wand.

And across the room Lily and James' eyes met and both smiled but Lily was sad because the look of thanks in James' eyes was for his friends sake, not hers.

Compared the rest of the holidays passed without event, as Lily couldnt work up the courage to ask James.

Until Christmas (**cliche, i know**), when she opened her present from James and saw the silver necklace with an emerald lily set in the middle of the heart locket. Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked at it and Meggie, noticing the usual squeel of Lily opening presents looked over:

"He still likes you." Was her immediate verdict, but after a few minutes of staring at it she said again:

"No, make that he's in love with you." And she waggled her eyebrows at Lily and turned back to her own presents.

_Stupid, _was Lily's reflexive thought response to this, even if she wanted it to be true, but the more she thought the more possible it seamed.

"Um, Im going to thank James." She murmured, standing and blushing at the sarcastic "Yeah," and "Sure" from Marie and Jess and the suggestive laugh from Meggie.

She took the stairs two at a time and knocked timidly on the 7th year boy's dorm room door, jumping slightly on the red carpet when it was opened by Remus a second later.

"Lily?" He asked, puzzled. Lily noticed his eyes were a little bloodshot, as if he had a bit of a hangover and this theory was confirmed as she stepped past Remus and saw Sirius and Peter holding their heads and groaning and James fast asleep.

The room, to say the least, was messy, with clothes and books and equipment all over the place, but it had a homey air about it.

The 3 awake marauders looked at her and she flushed.

"We'll just go." Peter said suddenly, looking at the necklace in her hand and standing, swaying slightly.

The other two caught on and got up, Sirius concealing one bloodshot eye as he winked cheekily.

When they were gone Lily walked softly over to James, tripping on a left over quidditch top.

"James?" No answer.

She pulled lightly on his arm and he rolled onto his back before sitting up without thinking, groaning.

Lily barely concealed a gasp as she saw his well planed chest that had been uncovered when he sat up. He was muscular from quidditch but still lean, as most seekers were. He had a sixpack that wasnt obvious but you could see it and a body that allowed you to admire it without pushing it in her face.

She didnt think, she didnt want to. Their lips met roughly and without concious thought James deepened it, acting on the fireworks behind his eyelids.

Lily had kissed boys before, good kissers too, but she laughed at how people said you could forget everything except the kiss. She never would again.

Then James was brought back to his senses by a low moan from Lily, he jerked back and shook his head:

"Bloodly Hell Lily! Im trying to get over you and you dump that bomb lightly"

Lily's own chest was moving up and down as she was severly out of breath (and it was not helping James clear his head), "Go to Hogsmeade with me." She blurted.

Smiling James beckoned her and pulled her down onto his chest, kissing her with so much passion that she was stunned.


	6. An end and a beginning

**Ok, last one, just short pieces of every month :)**

* * *

_**January**_

Lily broke of her kiss with James and realised again how close they got. It was weird how that always happened. Not that she minded, in the past 5 days she'd realized his was the kind of chest and he was the kind of kisser that just got better over time. Though that had been blighted slightly by the 50 odd girls who had come up to tell her that she was lucky to have him cause he was such a good kisser and even better in bed, though he swore blind that he hadn't slept with _most _of them.

She looked around and saw Sirius kissing a bimbo, Meggie kissing ... what do you call a male bimbo? Jess holding hands and blushing with a quidditch beater in Ravenclaw and ... _Marie and Remus._

"Bout time." Lily and James said at the same time and laughed.

_**February**_

James smiled as he watched his girlfriend argue heatedly across the common room. God she was hot.

She turned, caught his eye and smiled, biting her lip without realizing then running her tongue across her lips, which she did allot now she realized his blood ran hot with desire when she did.

He quickly redirected his gaze (the common room was not the right place for this) smirking as he saw Remus and Marie holding hands and talking quietly - they were so cute together- sighing when he saw Sirius' new girlfriend and laughing when he saw Peter reduced to staring at a 5th year.

But he couldn't keep his gaze away from Lily for long and when he saw she was still looking at her he grinned suggestively and walked out the door of the common room, down a deserted common room and paused with his back to the end.

He heard her footsteps behind him and timed his turn to catch her in his arms and press her against the wall, kissing her desperately. Her legs twined around his back and his hand slipped up her top. She arched her back. But before long he pulled away and left without a word, leaving her wanting him more.

_**March**_

I'm in love with him

_**April**_

Sirius watched his best friend and his best friends girlfriend from across the common room. They were making out in a way completely inappropriate for a public place but when he'd pointed this out to Remus he'd laughed and said you can talk and gone back to kissing his own girlfriend,

It was April 1st. Day of the pranks. And they hadnt done anything.

Growing up. That was what Remus had told him slowly, like he was stupid.

Sirius didn't like growing up.

_**May**_

It's James birthday today.

And Lily was James' girlfriend for that special day.

And she had the perfect present for him.

And that was that she wouldn't let him pull back this time. Not for anything.

_**June**_

Meggie grinned again.

She wasn't listening to her current boyfriend - what was his name? - but she was watching Lily.

She could still remember the shock of finding out Lily and James had slept together. Seriously!

James, she knew, had slept with someone for the first time in his 4th year, when he was drunk. But he didn't have sex with alot of people, only the ones he actually liked. And he definitely liked Lily.

But Lily! Lily - sorry for this - was a bit of a prude, but a great friend. And Meggie knew for a fact that she had sex every other day now. Which was more often then the other three put together.

Even if Marie and Remus were sleeping together.

_**July**_

**Exams**

Lily fell against James at the same time Marie fell against Remus :

"No more school exams! Ever!" Meggie squealed.

"Now we've just got an excrutiating 3 months waiting for the result." Was Sirius' comment,

"... Thanks for that Paddy."

***

James ran a finger under the envelope edge and pulled out his results - Straight O's. STRAIGHT O'S! In 10 subjects! Wow. He swapped with Sirius, who had also got straight o's though in less. Remus had 1 E. Peter had an E, 2 A's and a P.

Lily had 4 Os 2 Es and Marie and Jess had the same as Remus. Meggie has 2 E's and 3 As.

There were hugs and squeals and sympathetic pats on the back all around them.

"I'm guessing you haven't seen this Prongs." Said Sirius, handing James a letter and grinning.

_Mr Potter,_

_Due to the outstanding quidditch session we saw you play we would like to offer you a position on the English quidditch team. Well done in the rest of your NEWTS and we hope to hear favourably from you soon._

_Scarlett Drew_

_English Quidditch Official Coach._

James' mouth dropped and the others read over his shoulder, offering congratulations.

He looked at Sirius, "Remind me to send a rejection letter."

"WHAT?"

"Cant be bothered, TBH."

**Leaving**

Lily's eyes filled with tears as Hogwarts sped out of sight and she felt James' eyes tighten around her. This was his way of showing how he felt.

Sirius turned away, "Ah, the good times." He sighed dramatically.

"You know your crying on the inside. You could get a job pranking Death Eaters." Remus laughed hollowly.

Sirius smiled, "Yeah, maybe."

The group dispersed one by one (or two by two) and finally just Lily and James were there.

"Ill miss it." James whispered, much to Lily's shock - he didn't normally say things like that.

"We all will."

_**September of the same year**_

Lily and James stood by the lake and watched the students laughing around in the sun.

"Don't you want to join them?" James asked.

They had come to see Hogwarts again, and James had been attacked by many people within the first five minutes - his quidditch team especially.

They walked away, down to the Shrieking Shack and sat on a moss rock, looking at the sunset.

"Marry me Lily." James whispered.

"Of course James."

* * *

**FINISHED!!**

**What did you think??**

**I'm going to do a sequel about James missing sister, starting when Lily and James die. Ill tell you more about it later :)**


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